Barcelona and Blake Lewis To Headline 2010 Symphony Guild Event

Tickets for 'Primal Symphony' on Sale Monday, September 20 at 8:00 a.m. PST

SEATTLE, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Symphony Guild today announced the artist lineup for the 2010 musical event, 'Primal Symphony,' an annual event which benefits Seattle Children's Hospital. Local artists Barcelona, American Idol runner-up and beatbox extraordinare Blake Lewis and talented singer Claire Nordstrom join some of the region's premiere music ensembles in support of the uncompensated care at Seattle Children's Hospital. Participating music ensembles include the Northwest Symphony Orchestra directed by Anthony Spain, Northwest Chorale, Northwest Boychoir, Seattle Men's Chorus and Seattle Choral Company. Tickets go on sale Mon., Sept. 20 at 8:00 a.m. PST at http://thesymphonyguild.org.

Now in its twelfth year led by Grammy Award-winning television and film composer and Seattle-native, Mateo Messina, this grand and distinctive concert series can be labeled a "symphony for a new generation."  It's a night of excitement, joy and compassion all wrapped into an unprecedented style of concert.  Mateo's symphonies uniquely place the orchestra in a new light by combining them with a broad array of special ensembles, everything from the University of Washington Drumline and Brazilian dancers to Australian didgeridoo players and Japanese taiko drummers.  Past musical guests have included Seattle favorites Heart, Alice In Chains and Chris Degarmo of Queensryche.

Each year promises a wild and fun musical experience; chock full of surprises that bring audiences back year after year. This year's concert boasts more than 400 performers, and one musical piece features singers from around the world projected on a screen that rivals IMAX! Mateo Messina and Blake Lewis also collaborated to create an original song to be featured in the show. In addition to performances by some of the region's most celebrated musical ensembles, this year's event will feature a special performance by Alfie Bautista, a passionate student of music and patient at Seattle Children's Hospital.

The Symphony Guild is part of the Guild Association for Seattle Children's Hospital, one of the nation's premiere pediatric hospitals and the largest all-volunteer fundraising network for any hospital in the country. Each year the Guild creates and produces an annual unique concert to raise funds for uncompensated care, which ensures no child in the region is ever denied medical treatment regardless of their family's ability to pay. The funds raised each year consistently land the Symphony Guild on the "Top 25 Fundraising Guilds" list at the hospital. To date, the Symphony Guild has raised over $500,000 for uncompensated care.

'Primal Symphony' will take place on Friday, November 5, 2010 at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. The event will feature a silent auction, raffle, and special guest appearances by local Seattle personalities.

Tickets range from $40 to $60 and are available through the Guild's website, www.thesymphonyguild.org.

About the Symphony Guild

The Symphony Guild (formerly the Sapristi Guild) began a concert series more than 12 years ago by Grammy-winning composer and producer Mateo Messina to raise funds for uncompensated care at Seattle Children's Hospital.  Each year, Mateo and a group of professionals and artists throughout the Puget Sound create a unique concert experience that links a symphony with other media and music styles to provide a memorable concert experience.  The funds raised each year places the Symphony Guild on the "Top 25 Fundraising Guilds" list at the hospital.  For more information please visit www.thesymphonyguild.org.

About Seattle Children's Hospital

Consistently ranked as one of the best children's hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Children's serves as the pediatric and adolescent academic medical referral center for the largest landmass of any children's hospital in the country (Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho). For more than 100 years, Children's has been delivering superior patient care and advancing new treatments through pediatric research. Children's serves as the primary teaching, clinical and research site for the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington  School of Medicine. The hospital works in partnership with Seattle Children's Research Institute and Seattle Children's Hospital Foundation. Together they are Seattle Children's, known for setting new standards in superior patient care for more than 100 years. For more information visit www.seattlechildrens.org.

SOURCE The Symphony Guild